Don't Look Back
by maureenbrown
Summary: High School AU. Gally is failing History, and the most despised teacher, Ratman, has kicked him off the team until he gets his grades up. And he's paired him with the cutest nerd Gally has ever seen, a nobody named Thomas. Could things get any worse? One-shot, Thomally.


Disclaimer: YES! ANOTHER FIC! I'm on a roll. Even though I'm unmotivated. The end was a little rushed, but I really liked this idea and I've seen it many times so I wanted to make one of my own. R&R! :)

x-x-x

"I'm sorry, Mr. Frainteso, but this is the third C you've gotten in History! You're not going to pass high school if you don't pass this class." Gally's History teacher, Ratman (also known as Mr. Janson), the biggest asshole in the school, reprimanded.

"Dude, I'm gonna become a cop. When I'm booking criminals, do you _really_ think it's important for me to recite the Declaration of Independence?" He snapped back.

"Don't get lippy with me. You need to pass or you'll be held back a grade and you know it."

Gally bashed his head against Ratman's desk shamelessly. "What the hell do you want me to do about it, then?"

"For starters, you can stop swearing."

"Hey, if there's one thing I've learned in this boring ass class, it's that I have _freedom of speech_. I can say whatever the hell I want."

Mr. Janson stared at Gally for a long minute. "Fair enough." He relented, but he looked extremely agitated. "I'm going to have to assign you a tutor."

"Hell no!" Gally yelled, picking his head up from the desk and glaring at Mr. Janson.

"I'm afraid so. That's the only way you're ever going to be able to pass. I've already asked your parents and they agreed with me."

"You what?" Roared Gally.

"It's what you need!" He raised his voice.

"Fine, you asshole! Just give me a goddamn tutor, then!" Gally shouted. This wasn't the first time he had gotten into screaming matches with teachers. Luckily, Ratman was used to it.

Mr. Janson reached over and pressed the intercom. "Will Thomas Edison please come to the office?"

"Who the hell is that?" Gally asked.

"He is a brilliant student, especially in History. Top of the class, actually."

"I didn't mean that, I meant where does he fit in? None of that shit matters to me."

"I'm sure you'll know him when you see him."

As if on cue, the door swung open and a short, nerdy looking boy walked in. He was pretty cute actually, with tan skin, a button nose, and dark eyes. He had a gray beanie on top of his head, with brown hair poking out. He wore tight-fitting jeans and a plaid, navy and white shirt. The boy stood there, clearly checking Gally out.

Ratman cleared his throat and they both gave their attention to him. "Galileo Frainteso, meet Thomas Edison. Thomas, meet Galileo."

Gally snorted. "Don't call me that. Call me Gally."

"Okay, Gally. Nice to meet you." Thomas said formally, sticking out his hand for a hand shake.

The other boy shoved his hands in his pockets. He did _not_ want to fall for a nerd like Thomas. He was a jock that had a status in this school; he didn't have petty crushes on people below him. He wasn't captain of the football team and the school's biggest playboy for nothing.

But to be completely honest, he'd been lying about his sexuality for years. He, like his best friend Minho, was into guys (except he was bisexual and Gally was gay). That didn't stop him from trying to sleep with every girl in an attempt to change his mind.

Minho used to be the fuckboy in town until he met Newt, a quiet, artistic kid that actually wooed him. Gally was determined not to become a sap like Minho, he sure as hell wasn't going to act like some crappy rom-com cut-out character.

"Are you even listening?" Ratman said, irritated.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to." Said Gally, a sneer on his face.

Before Mr. Janson could argue with him again, he turned to Thomas. "When do we have to start hell?"

"Umm… Would today be good?"

"Nah, I have football practice today." Gally told him.

"About that… You've been temporarily taken off the team until you get your grades up." Ratman piped up.

Gally whirled around, glaring at him with all he had, his hands balled into fists. "You… Fucking…" He started, breathing raggedly, but a firm hand was placed on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Gally, don't." Thomas said quietly. Gally turned to look at him. He looked so intent, so focused, so vulnerable and pleading…

Gally shrugged his shoulder, making Thomas' hand drop from it. "Fine. Only for you, shitface." He grumbled.

"Meet me in the library after school?" Thomas inquired, his voice quiet as not to startle Gally.

"Hell no. I can't go there. The librarian hates me."

"Well… How about my place?" Thomas suggested.

Gally sized him up. He couldn't been asking him on a date, could he? No, it was just studying. So he didn't _completely_ dick up his whole career later on in life.

"Fine." He said.

"Great… I'll, uh… See you later?" Thomas said, turning to leave to save himself from more awkwardness.

"Hang on, Thomas?" He said.

The other boy turned, raising his eyebrow.

"Gimme your number." Thomas opened his mouth to ask why, before thinking better of it. He pulled a pad of paper out of his pocket and a pencil (why the hell did he have one, anyways?) and scribbed down his digits before handing it to Gally.

"Bye, then." He called before walking quickly out the door.

"Mr. Frainteso, I—" Ratman started.

Gally cut him off with a simple, "get off my dick," and walked out the door.

x-x-x

It turned out that studying with Thomas wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He'd already been there for a couple hours, and he had learned _tons_. Probably more than he'd learned all year, in fact.

"Gally, what do you wanna be when you grow up?" Thomas asked out of the blue.

"Umm… A police officer. Why?"

"Then this is even more important. Criminal justice corresponds deeply with law, which is what we're learning about right now. You need to know at least some basic fundamentals of history to thrive as a cop."

Gally frowned, wrung his hands together. "I never thought about it like that, I guess." He mumbled, almost to himself.

"Hopefully, after I'm done teaching you stuff, you'll think of the world differently. That's my goal, really." Thomas' eyes flashed brilliantly, and Gally could tell he was really passionate about the subject. It was incredibly enticing. "Rights, that's what the world is all about. Sexuality, gender, nationality, animal, there are thousands of different ones! If you want to apply yourself as a police officer, you've got to know what to do and what not to do. I mean, I don't mean to sound like an expert, because I'm not, but…"

"Psh, you're an expert in everything I'm pretty sure." Gally said with a snort.

Thomas let out a bashful laugh. "Well, thanks, Gally."

"I mean… Umm… It's nothing… You're very smart… I just…" Gally placed a hand over his mouth to stop talking. God, he was sounding just like Minho every time someone mentioned Newt.

"No, finish what you were saying. What was it?"

"It's just that… Nobody's ever treated me like I'm a person with a brain that can understand shit, you know?" Gally admitted, refusing to look Thomas in the eyes.

A soft hand was placed over Gally's other one that wasn't muffling his speech. He looked up, taking a glance in Thomas' way.

"I think you're highly intelligent. You think of things differently than anybody else does. I believe it's just a choice whether or not you choose to advertise your brilliance."

Gally stared at Thomas in disbelief for a minute, before shoving his chair back and grabbing Thomas' chin, forcing their lips together. Kissing a guy was a lot like kissing a girl, he soon found. This was the first boy he'd ever kissed, despite being gay. Except that all the girls he's kissed have kissed him back, and Thomas just sat there.

Realization hit him, and Gally detached himself from Thomas in horror, nearly tripping over the chair.

"Gally…" Thomas gasped, his hands on his mouth.

"I have to go." Gally uttered before sprinting out of the house and climbing into his truck to drive back to his.

He didn't turn back once.

x-x-x

"So, Mr. Frainteso, I bet you're wondering why I've called you in my office today." Ratman said to him a week later.

"Not really, it's just to get on my ass."

"No, it's how tutoring is working with Mr. Edison."

"Oh. That. It's going great."

"I can tell, I've seen you paying attention more often in class. Is Thomas a good tutor?"

"Great." He said shortly.

"You haven't been meeting him, have you?" It wasn't as much of an accusation as a statement.

"What're you going to do about it?" Gally sneered.

"Ask you to go back." Mr. Janson replied evenly.

"Just as soon as you go back to hell." He said before standing up and leaving the room.

Once again, he didn't turn back.

x-x-x

For the next two periods, Gally was almost positive that Ratman was going to chase his ass down and haul him to jail or something farfetched like that, but nothing happened.

As soon as the bell rang, he quickly ran out of his class and to his truck, only to find Thomas leaning on it already. He looked just as cute as always, with a maroon beanie on his head and a simple black t-shirt with blue jeans.

"Get off my car." Gally said, but the words tasted sour in his mouth.

Thomas looked up in surprise, but then he seemed to steel himself. "No." He said.

"What did you say?" Gally threatened, taking a step closer.

"I said no." Thomas said.

Before Gally could do anything, Thomas seemed to find some confidence as he reached forward, grabbed him by his shirt, and pressed his lips against Gally's. The other boy let out a little sound of surprise, dropping his backpack (thankfully not on Thomas' foot). He closed his eyes and grabbed Thomas' waist, pushing him up against the car and deepening the kiss. For once, he couldn't care less about his stupid status, or that he was supposedly straight, because Thomas' lips were so soft and welcoming.

A couple minutes later, they had to pull away. Gally reached up and touched his lips, a little smile on his face.

"I'm sorry about freaking out the first time you kissed me, I was just really surprised. I really like you, though." Thomas explained, his breathing labored.

"Good that, 'cause I like you too… So… Does that mean we're dating now?"

"I'd love to go out with you, just as long as we're exclusive." Thomas said sternly.

"Anything for you." Gally found himself saying. Even stranger, it was completely true.

"Umm… I'm free tonight, are you?" Gally proposed.

"I am. Study date?"

"I'm probably gonna end up making out with you as soon as we get home."

"Good enough." Thomas said with a shrug.

Gally chuckled, before opening the car door for Thomas to get in.

He scooped up his bag before turning back to look at the school, thanking Mr. Janson (probably the first time that ever happened) for giving him a tutor.


End file.
